4 Ways to Lower Your Risk of Cataracts

Cataracts are a widespread eye disease characterized by clouding of the eye's lens, which can impair vision and even lead to loss of sight if left untreated.

Discover how to lower your risk of cataracts and learn why a low-carb diet is one of the best strategies to promote healthy eyes and vision.  

What are cataracts?

Cataracts are one of the most common age-related eye diseases, marked by the clouding of the lens inside the eye. 

This condition occurs when proteins in the lens break down and clump together, impairing the eye's ability to focus light properly onto the retina. 

While age-related cataracts are the most frequent type, other forms, such as congenital cataracts, can occur in newborns due to genetic factors or maternal infections during pregnancy.

Another type, the posterior subcapsular cataract, forms at the back of the lens and often progresses rapidly, affecting near vision and causing glare. 

Cataracts can impair vision significantly and are one of the most common causes of vision loss. 

Currently, cataract surgery is the only effective treatment that involves removing the clouded lens and replacing it with a clear artificial intraocular lens. 

While surgery is highly effective, research published in Medicine found that this procedure carries risks and may increase the risk of age-related macular degeneration, another serious eye condition that damages the retina and central vision.

Therefore, taking preventative measures by making beneficial dietary and lifestyle changes in combination with regular eye exams is crucial to preserve vision and reduce the risk of developing cataracts.

Watch the video below to discover the ultimate support for cataracts. 

Symptoms of cataracts 

Symptoms of cataracts include blurry vision, seeing images twice, halos around lights, increased sensitivity to glare, poor night vision, and faded colors that appear muted or yellowed.   

These vision problems may worsen over time and require careful management to slow cataract progression. Advanced cataracts, particularly when left untreated, can lead to vision loss and increase the risk of retinal detachment, a serious condition that requires immediate medical attention. 

If you are worried about your eye health or have developed vision problems, it’s crucial to consult an eye doctor as early diagnosis ensures timely treatment to protect your vision.

Causes and risk factors

Cataracts can develop due to a combination of age-related changes, environmental factors, and underlying health conditions. 

Research published in Antioxidants summarizes the causes of cataracts as follows: "Key risk factors include aging, hypertension, diabetes, and ultraviolet (UV) light exposure. All of these factors contribute to the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the lens, which plays a critical role in cataract formation.”

Factors such as aging, smoking, alcohol consumption, and excessive UV exposure can deplete antioxidants, leaving the delicate tissues in the eyes unable to counteract ROS. This oxidative damage can cause the proteins in the ocular lens to break down, leading to cloudiness and vision problems. 

Furthermore, individuals with poor blood sugar control, typically linked to a high-carb diet, are at significantly greater risk of cataracts.

When blood sugar levels are high, glucose can enter the eye, where it’s converted into sorbitol. This sugar derivative can accumulate in the lens and draw in fluids, causing the lens to swell. This fluid buildup disrupts the lens structure, leading to changes that cause cloudiness and impair vision.

In addition, elevated blood sugar levels increase oxidative stress, which can damage lens proteins and contribute to the formation of cataracts. 

How to lower your risk of cataracts 

To maintain healthy vision, it’s crucial to wear sunglasses, avoid drinking too much alcohol, and quit smoking.

Lowering cataract risk also involves beneficial dietary changes to counteract oxidative stress, avoid high blood sugar levels, and ensure adequate intake of eye-health-promoting nutrients.  

Here are four ways to lower your risk of cataracts.

1. Follow a nutritious low-carb diet 

A nutritious low-carb diet such as Healthy Keto® helps manage blood sugar levels, which is particularly important for those at risk of developing cataracts. 

Limiting carbohydrate intake to no more than 50 grams daily helps maintain steady blood sugar levels, thereby minimizing glucose-related sorbitol accumulation and oxidative stress within the eyes. 

This has been confirmed by research published in Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science, reporting that individuals with low carbohydrate intake were at lower risk of developing cataracts compared to those following high-carb diets. 

In addition, Healthy Keto focuses on minimally processed whole foods, such as grass-fed meat, pasture-raised eggs, and wild-caught fish, offering a wide range of healthy fats, including omega-3 fatty acids. 

“Omega-3 fats play a crucial role in eye health as they help reduce inflammation and oxidative stress, two key factors in the development of cataracts,” explains Dr. Berg.

2. Increase antioxidant-rich foods 

Antioxidants play a crucial role in protecting the eyes from oxidative stress, which contributes to the breakdown of lens proteins and cataract formation. 

Therefore, it’s crucial to incorporate a wide range of nutritious foods rich in various antioxidants into your diet to help your body combat cellular damage caused by oxidative stress. 

Some of the best dietary sources of antioxidants include:

• Green leafy vegetables 

• Cruciferous vegetables 

• Egg yolks

• Berries

• Nuts

• Dark chocolate 

• Avocado

• Bell peppers

• Turmeric 

• Ginger

• Green tea 

The Healthy Keto not only limits carbohydrate intake but also focuses on nutritious and antioxidant-rich foods, making it an excellent dietary strategy to protect your eyes and reduce cataract risk. 

3. Practice intermittent fasting 

Evidence published in Frontiers in Medicine suggests that intermittent fasting can have significant benefits for eye health and may play a crucial role in preventing age-related vision problems.

Extended periods of caloric restriction promote steady blood sugar levels, which helps lower glucose-related damage to the ocular lens.

In addition, cycling between periods of eating and fasting has been found to enhance the body's anti-inflammatory and antioxidant capacities, which is critical for protecting the eyes from damage that can lead to cataracts and other degenerative eye conditions.

4. Focus on vision-promoting nutrients 

In addition to eating foods rich in antioxidants, ensuring optimal intake of important nutrients for eye health is essential to maintaining healthy vision. 

Vitamins C and E play a crucial role in protecting the eyes from oxidative stress and supporting the health and clarity of the lens.

In addition, vitamin A is critical for eye function as it supports the production of rhodopsin, a protein essential for low-light vision, and helps maintain the health of the cornea and other eye tissues.

Zinc is a trace mineral needed for producing melanin, the pigment that protects the retina from UV damage and oxidative stress. Zinc deficiency has been found to increase the risk of ocular oxidative damage and eye disease. 

Furthermore, selenium is a vital antioxidant that helps protect the eyes from oxidative stress by supporting the function of glutathione peroxidase, a critical enzyme that helps neutralize ROS.

This highlights the importance of following a healthy diet rich in minimally processed nutritious whole foods to promote long-term eye health and reduce the risk of vision-related conditions.

Key takeaways

If you have a family history of eye disease, you might be looking for effective strategies to support your vision and learn how to lower your risk of cataracts.

Following a nutritious low-carb diet such as Healthy Keto in combination with intermittent fasting is an excellent strategy to reduce oxidative damage linked to cataract formation and vision problems.

In addition, it's critical to avoid smoking, limit alcohol intake, and protect the eyes from excessive UV radiation, all of which increase the risk of developing cataracts. 

FAQ

1. How can you lower your risk of cataracts naturally?

Limiting carbohydrate intake by following a nutritious low-carb diet, such as Healthy Keto®, rich in eye-health-promoting nutrients, is an excellent strategy to promote healthy vision and lower the risk of cataracts. 

Furthermore, avoiding alcohol, tobacco smoke, and excessive ultraviolet (UV) radiation from sunlight is also essential to minimize oxidative stress linked to poor eye health and cataracts.

2. What is the biggest cause of cataracts

One of the biggest causes of cataracts is oxidative stress, typically caused by chronically elevated blood sugar due to a high-carb diet. Elevated blood sugar levels can lead to sorbitol accumulation in the lens, resulting in inflammation, oxidative damage, and lens clouding.

3. What vitamins help reduce the risk of cataracts?

Vitamins A, C, D, and E all play crucial roles in preventing cataracts by protecting the lens from oxidative stress, supporting its clarity, and maintaining overall eye health. These vitamins help neutralize free radicals, reduce inflammation, and support the function of key proteins in the eye.

4. At what age do cataracts start?

Age-related cataracts typically begin to develop around the age of 40. However, noticeable symptoms, such as blurred vision or glare, usually appear after the age of 60 as the lens gradually becomes more clouded over time.

5. Are there any natural remedies for cataracts? 

While there isn’t a known cure for cataracts other than invasive eye surgery, topical application of N-acetyl carnosine eye drops has been found to help slow the progression of cataracts and improve visual clarity in some individuals.

Sources

1. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9646653/ 

2. https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3921/13/10/1249 

3. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2891456/ 

4. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9171076/